Charlton Athletic U21 defender Harris O’Connor spoke to Valley Gold for Academy Notes following the 3-1 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest.
The young full-back was at Charlton’s Academy from the age of 7, but left aged 13 due to a family move to Scotland, playing for Kilmarnock and Rangers, but following a trial returned to the Addicks last October, and is working hard and hoping to one day break into the first team. Speaking to Valley Gold after the loss, he said:
“Forest started extremely well and on the front foot, scoring just a few minutes into the game thanks to some individual brilliance from their right winger. It was a sloppy goal to concede and not the way we wanted to start the match.
“Despite the early goal, we found some composure and started to dominate with the ball, with lots of possession in the opposition’s half. However, struggling to find final passes to break through their stubborn defence, we could only trouble the keeper with a few shots from distance.
“Having pinned Forest back, their only real chances came through counter-attacks, and their second goal was just that. A set-piece was claimed by their keeper who quickly played it out to a running player in space, and with our defence outnumbered, a Forest player latched onto a ball from their right-hand side to cut in and get a shot away. Ahmed Kone could only parry the shot to allow Forest’s Julian Larsson to score at the back post.
“It was more of the same until half-time with us continuing to dominate the play between the two boxes but failing to capitalise. This led to us going in 2-0 down at the break.
“The opening exchanges of the second half saw us taking the ball of Forest, but chasing the game was leaving us open to further counter-attacks, however, we looked to have learnt from the first half and were stopping the threat of a third goal.
“But it was our own doing that led to Forest’s third goal, killing of the game. A loose pass whilst playing out from the back allowed Dale Taylor to calmly slot the ball into the bottom corner.
“Nevertheless, our heads didn’t drop and we continued to push on to try and do the right things creating numerous half chances but Forest had shut up shop, and it wasn’t until stoppage time that we got our breakthrough, Karoy Anderson’s shot from the edge of the area deflected off to Tolu Ladapo in a sea of bodies and slid the ball past the keeper who had no time to react.
“Unfortunately, it was too little too late and a disappointing performance, conceding goals we shouldn’t have and not creating enough clear-cut chances. Despite this, we can take positives and look forward to the next game.”
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